AB1038 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANKYLOSIS AND PHYSICAL FUNCTION ASSESSMENT IN ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS
Authors: M. Suzuki, K. Kishimoto, D. Kihira, R. Sato, J. Hasegawa, M. Maeda, Y. Ohashi, K. Terabe, S. Asai, S. Imagama
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2023)

<h3>Background</h3> Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a progressive inflammatory disease affecting the spine and large joints of the extremities. Ankylosis of the spine and sacroiliac joints affects patients not only physically but also psychologically and socially, resulting in a significant decline in quality of life (QOL) and disruption of daily activities [1]. However, it is unclear to what extent the progression of the disease affects physical function and patient subjective evaluation. <h3>Objectives</h3> The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the degree of progression of ankylosis, physical function, and frailty in patients with AS. <h3>Methods</h3> Twenty-four patients with AS attending our hospital who underwent full spine computer tomography (CT) and physical function assessment were included in the study. The anterior-posterior, intervertebral joint, and interspinous process ankylosis sites and number of ankylosis (whole spine/cervical spine/thoracic spine/lumbar spine) and sacroiliac joint ankylosis were evaluated in each vertebra. Patient-objective measures of physical function included gait speed, grip strength, Timed Up and Go test (TUG), time of five sit-to-stand, and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI), and patient-subjective measures of physical function included Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Kihon Checklist (KCL), the 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) as subjective assessments. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between the degree of progression of ankylosis and each of the assessment items. <h3>Results</h3> The mean age (± standard deviation) at the time of the study was 40±15 years, 79% were male, 50% were HLA-B27 positive, and the disease duration was 13±9 years. Age was significantly correlated with the number of thoracic spine ankylosis (r=0.449), and disease duration with the number of total spine/cervical spine/thoracic spine/sacroiliac joint ankylosis (r=0.600/0.553/0.635/0.510). BASMI, an objective patient assessment, showed a significant correlation with the number of total spine/cervical spine/thoracic spine/lumbar spine ankylosis (r=0.732/0.653/0.707/0.615), but not with walking speed, grip strength, TUG, or time of five sit-to-stand. BASFI, a subjective patient assessment, showed a significant correlation with the number of total spine/ cervical spine/ thoracic spine/ lumbar spine ankylosis(r=0.680/0.729/0.600/0.469), and the GLFS-25 (r=0.418/0.500) with the number of total spine/ cervical spine ankylosis. BDI-II, an assessment of psychiatric symptoms, and KCL, an assessment of frailty, showed no correlation with the number of ankylosis. <h3>Conclusion</h3> BASFI and GLFS-25, physical function assessments, were significantly correlated with spinal ankylosis in AS patients, and the degree of progression of spinal ankylosis was found to interfere with daily life. <h3>Reference</h3> [1]Braun J, Sieper J. Ankylosing spondylitis. Lancet. 2007;369(9570):1379-90. <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> NIL. <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> None Declared.